Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/26

 10 ttElGtf OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 63. be restored. ' The better sort made no difficulty of the matter, offering to adventure themselves and their friends if they might be assured of her Majesty's sup- port and backing.' Morton himself ' was ready to exe- cute any plot that should be devised ; ' but he knew by this time the person with whom he was dealing, and he would not risk his life and fortune at Elizabeth's bid- ding, without security that this time she would take up in earnest the cause of which he was the representative. Offers, he said, had been made to him from the other side, which would enable him to provide for his own safety. He could not trust to an uncertainty. The Queen of England must identify herself with the Pro- testants of Scotland on the one side, and satisfy James's just demands on the other. She 'must declare publicly her care for the common cause of religion, and divide the King from foreign practices by relieving him with some good liberality.' 1 In other words, Morton not unnaturally required Elizabeth to commit herself, and in fact as well as pro- mise, part with some little money. He pressed for a speedy reply, and as might have been expected, he could not have it. "Walsingham, earnest as he was himself in the cause, ' was unable to draw from the June. Queen such answer as the necessities of the time required,' 2 nor could anything more be wrung from her, though Bowes again said that unless she could resolve a revolution was ' imminent and inevit- 1 Bowes to Walsingham, May 23, May : MSS. Scotland. 2 Walsingham to Bowes, June I ; MSS. Ibid.